Where has Rs 200cr gone? SC poser to CBI in 2G scam

Asking CBI to explain where Rs 200 crore, allegedly diverted to DMK-owned Kalaignar TV in 2G scam, has gone, the Supreme Court on Monday sought the probe agency's response on DMK MP Kanimozhi's bail plea in the case.

A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar, while terming "corruption as the worst form of human rights violation," asked CBI to come out with a status report on the loss to the state exchequer due to the award of 13 licences to one of the telecom operators and trial proceedings in the CBI special court.

The court granted a week's time to CBI to file its response on the three issues and the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar, MD of Kalaignar TV.

Kanimozhi and Kumar, named as accused in the second charge sheet for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 200 crore, were arrested on May 20 after the special court dismissed their bail pleas in the case.

Both Kanimozhi and Kumar have 20% stake each in Kalaignar TV which allegedly received Rs 200 crore through a "circuitous" route from Shahid Balwa promoted DB Realty.

Senior counsel Altaf Ahmed and Sushil Kumar Jain, appearing for Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar during the brief arguments, submitted the accused were not recipient of the spectrum and had merely taken a loan of Rs 200 crore which has been returned.

The argument, however, failed convince the bench which pointed that the charge sheet clearly stated that the so-called amount was not part of a legal transaction.

"Where has Rs 200 crore gone? What is the status of the money. It is a case property. Investigation shows that Rs 200 crore as kickback or bribe. Whatever you may call it, either way it was not part of a legal transaction," the bench said.

"There is nothing in your favour except section 437 (pertaining to bail)," the court further said while posting the hearing of the case on June June 20.

When the counsel said there was no mention of the two accused in the FIR or the first charge sheet, the bench said "corruption is the worst form of human rights violation."